Keyword: Al Skywalker

Barracuda Stable's Tres Touche finally got a win in a grade I steeplechase, charging past pacesetter Preemptive Strike on the backstretch, and galloping off with rider Dave Bentley to a 20 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Iroquois Steeplechase (NSA-I) in Nashville Saturday.

Preemptive Strike and veteran Lord Zada headline the list of nominations for Keeneland's $150,000 Royal Chase (NSA-I), the richest race on the National Steeplechase Association's spring schedule, to be run Friday, April 16.

Thirteen steeplechase stakes horses were nominated Tuesday to the $150,000 added Royal Chase (NSA-I) to be run at Keeneland April 25. The richest race of the National Steeplechase Association's spring season, the Royal Chase fittingly attracted the best horses in training including eight grade I winners.

Playing his usual game of 'catch me if you can,' Al Skywalker dominated every step of the $100,000 Carolina First Carolina Cup(gr. I) steeplechase stakes before a crowd of 72,000 at Springdale Race Course.

New Zealend-bred Zabenz, making his second start in the United States, took command of the $100,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase Handicap (NSA-gr. I) in the final turn and pulled away for a 7 1/4-length victory in rainy conditions Thursday at Saratoga.

Bill Pape's It's A Giggle, a winner of his last four starts at Saratoga, heads a probable field of nine for the National Steeplechase New York Turf Writers Cup (NSA-I) steeplechase stakes, to be run Thursday at Saratoga Race Course.

Pacesetter Al Skywalker and It's A Giggle sprinted away from the field in the stretch before It's A Giggle surged ahead to notch a two-length win in the $169,958 Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings Stakes (NSA-I) at Keeneland Friday.

A select group of five horses will face the starter for Saturday's $100,000 Carolina First Carolina Cup, the first Grade I steeplechase stakes of the 2002 season, at Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C.

Breeders' Cup Steeplechase winner Quel Senor tries to solidify his championship hopes with a win in Sunday's $100,000 Colonial Cup, the final National Steeplechase Association grade I race of the 2001 season.

Like it has since it was created in 1970, the Colonial Cup will help determine the steeplechase Eclipse Award. The $100,000 stakes, to be run Nov. 18 in Camden, S.C., attracted 11 nominations including most of the major contenders for the year-end championship.

Frank Adams' Al Skywalker upset Campanile, winning Saturday's $100,000 Bank of America Carolina Cup (NSA-I) by 12 lengths in a strung out finish in front of about 70,000 spectators at Camden, South Carolina. Campanile came home second, 69 lengths ahead Assurance. Addinson was another 60 1/4 lengths back in fourth.